The Seven Different Types of Written Music

November 19, 2018

Do you know what written music looks like? To be honest, a lot of musicians don’t actually know how music looks written down. A lot of singers only know the words and don’t really know how to read music. It’s not that uncommon and unless you have studied music, you can often struggle to read and understand the notes down on paper. So, what are the seven different types of written music and how can they influence musicians?

Written Music

Sheet Music

Chord Charts

Lead Sheets

Songbooks

Master Rhythm Charts

Notated Parts

Fake Books

These are the seven written musical parts and while most might not have heard of them all, they all have their own part to play. For example, songbooks are really for singers and those offering the background singing, while chord charts and sheet music are specifically for those playing instruments. They are all used in music although they are all use in different manners. However, each can be just as important as the next and you shouldn’t be afraid to look into them a little more.

Do Musicians Need to Learn all Types of Written Music?

It really comes down to what they are doing in the music world. For example, if they are playing instruments and also singing, then it can be very important to understand all written forms of music. However, if someone is singing and they have no real interest in learning about the written music form, then it might not be necessary. Of course, it can be great to learn these things when you are entering the music industry because they can all become important throughout someone’s musical career.

Musicians Can Be Influenced By Their Knowledge

In a way, it can be useful to learn about the various types of written music simply because they can use what they know in a variety of ways. You can learn how to integrate chords with technology of modern times and really make music come alive. If you are interested in music and want to learn about written music you can find understanding the seven types of written music can be so important and useful. There are lots of simple ways to help you advance and you can see a real difference in the long term too. It can be well worth looking into and it’s not overly difficult either.

Learning Is Easy

Understanding written music and the various types might seem impossible to do but it’s not as difficult as you might think. If you have some experience with singing or playing instruments then you already have a good head start on everyone else. Reading music is incredibly easy to do and with a little bit of practice you can be a real success story. There are so many people who love music and want to get into the industry and often find their knowledge of written music helps. It can help in a variety of music paths from producing to playing.